Tube puncture testing machine



March 23, 1954 v c s 2,672,752

TUBE PUNCTURE TESTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l II/Ia 'III I INVENTOR.

ATTU RN EYS March 23, 1954 v. M. CROTHERS 2,672,752 TUBE PUNCTURE TESTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTUFFNEYS Patented Mar. 23, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,672,752 TUBE PUNCTURE TESTING MACHINE Volney M. Crothers, Lambert, Miss. Application September 19, 1952, Serial No. 310,431

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to devices particularly adapted for holding inner tubes of motor vehicle tires under water in a tub or container, and in particular a disc having radially disposed tube engaging arms slidably mounted thereon positioned on a post extended upwardly from a tub or container with a latch for retaining the disc in position for holding a tube below the surface of Water in the container.

The purpose of this invention is to provide means for holding an inner tube of a motor vehicle tire submerged to facilitate locating a leak in the tube.

Various types of devices have been provided for holding inner tubes of motor vehicle tires, however, it is diliicult to retain the entire tube submerged while spotting a leak in the tube. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a container having a vertically disposed post therein with a slider having a disc with radially positioned arms on the post, and in which the slider is provided with a latch whereby a tube positioned over the device with the arms contracted may be engaged by the arms with the arms in extended positions and forced downward- 1y below water in the container.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide means for forming a tube holding device whereby an entire tube may readily be forced downwardly below the surface of water in a container and in which means is provided for retaining the tube submerged until a leak therein is located.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tube submerging deviceupon which a tube may readily be positioned.

A further object of the invention is to provide a motor vehicle tire inner tube submerging device which is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies a substantially cylindrical container having a vertically disposed post extended upward from the center thereof with a slider having spaced horizontally disposed discs mounted thereon and with one of said discs provided with adjustable radially disposed arms whereby with the slider actuated by handles extended from the upper end a tube may readily be forced downward by the arms and retained in a submerged position by a latch in one of the handles.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

, base plate ll Figure 1 is a vertical section through the inner tube submerging device showing a tube held below the surface of water in a container thereof by arms on a disc on the lower end of a slider.

Figure 2 is a sectional plan through the upper part of the device taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the device with part of the container broken away showing the slider in an upper position whereby the slider is positioned above a tube on water in the container.

Figure 4 is a detail illustrating the center post of the device.

Figure 5 is a sectional plan taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1 showing the base plate for retaining the post in the center of the bottom of the container.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through one of the handles of the slider illustrating a latch slidably mounted in the handle.

Figure 7 is a detail showing a plan view of one side of the disc at the lower end of the slider.

Figure 8 is a cross section through the socket for holding the arms illustrated in Figure 7 being taken on line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the improved inner tube submerging device of this invention includes a vertically disposed post l0 mounted on a base plate H in a container I 2 with a slider having handles I 3 and I4 extended from a tube I5 slidably mounted on the post I 0 and having a disc I6 at the lower end of the tube which supports a lower disc or body member I! on which radially disposed arms 18 are slidably mounted in sockets l9, and rods 20 are rigidly connected to upper and lower discs.

The post l0, which is shown in detail in Figure 4, is provided with a threaded stud 2|, at the lower end and the upper part of the tube is provided with spaced openings 22 that are positioned to receive a bolt 23 of a latch positioned in the handle I4.

The stud 2| is threaded into a boss 24 on the and the plate II is secured to a bottom 25 of a container I! with rivets 26.

The tube I5 is slidably mounted on the tubular post l0 and the upper disc 16 is secured to the lower end of the tube l5, preferably by welding, as indicated at the point 21. The lower disc I! is also provided with a tubular sleeve, as indicated by the numeral 28, which is slidably mounted on the post m. The lower disc is provided with arm retaining sockets such as the sockets I9, which are radially positioned whereas shown -in Figire by arms l8, having arcuate flanges 29 on the outer ends are adjustably mounted on the disc. The sockets l9 are secured to the upper surface of the disc with rivets 3D and each socket is provided with a longitudinally disposed slot 3| in which pins 32 in the inner ends of the arms 18 are positioned whereby the pins provide means for limiting outward movement of the arms. By this means the arms are moved inwardly to facilitate placing anilinn'r tubfastiindi'dated by the numeral 3'3, *ovr'whe lowerdiscand arter the tube is in position, as shown in Figure 3, the

arms are drawn outwardly whereby the flanges 29 extend over the outer edge of the-tube. A

The handles l3 and I4 are secured't'ofthe up per end of the tube l5, preferably bii -welding g as illustrated in Figure l, and thehandlesare sup-u ported with gusset plates 34'ahd'35.

The handle positioned is provided with a slot 36 through which a finger, 31. of the-- bolt 23 extends and th'o'uter end ofuthe )Jhandle is provided with a threaded cap 38 for. retaining. the spring 3 '-in the handle.- One endlei the spring 39l bears against a; comma on the .latchtboltv23 whereby the T'boltis urged i'nwardlywith the inner end extended through an opening- 21 bf the. post I 0 when the bolt is released. The bolt isid'r'a-wn outwardly'I by the finger iil to adjust the position of the "s1-ider and disc. w

With the parts arranged in this manner the container I2 is partly filled with water: andw iith the arms [8 drawn inwardly in the-"sockets a tube, such-as theitube'33 :is placed over -the upper end oi the sider and: positioned ion the 1 water,

M With thetl lbe in position the arms l8 are drawn outwardly and the slider V movedsdownwardly by.the=handles I-3 and :14

whereby the -tubeis {-forced? belowthe-sunface of the water, as shown FigurewL- andwith M in which the latch b01 t 3 23, 13iSl the -slider: .in ,this position thewlatch bolt 2 33s released whereby -;the-.-end of the abolt-extends into I one of. the-openings; 22- ot the post and; :retains the: slider withthe tube submergedsuntil a leak in the tube islocatedw; The tube is-readily removed by releasing the T latch and withdrawing the arms; H}. V

It Will be understood that modifications-within the scope of the appended claim, may be made into the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

In a tube testing device, a container adapted to hold a quantity of water, a base plate positioned in said container and secured to the bottom thereof, said base plate being provided with a threaded socketsa2verticallyulisposed post extending iipwardly frdm said base plate, a tube slidably mounted on said post, a disc secured to the lower end of said tube, a plurality of convergingvrods each having their upper ends secured to said disc, a body member positioned below saidl disc if ancl supported by the lower ends of said rods, a plurality of sockets secured to the upper"'s'urfaceof'saidbody member, each of said sockets being provided with a longitudinally extending slot, ofhsaidtsockets, a. threaded studdepending :from the '-(l0Wer .?endI of said ".post Tfor-- en aging, (the threaded .is'ocke't in i said base plate, the u per portion ofcsaid tube and postlbeingllpro'yidd. with a plurality of spaced iopenir'ig's, 1a first andTs'ec-I' 0nd Thandlefextnding from said' tubedndlls'e-I cured theretmla latch slidably ,moiinted'in said firstthandle fand includinga bolt mounted Tfor movement into and outiofeng'ag'emntl'witliithe openings .in saidnpost a tubular islee'v'e secured to said body member. for engaging {said post, an arcuatefflarige secured to the r oute'ribndl Iof. each of said arms and 'a'dapted'to 'be'engagdiby an inner.. tube, said firsthandlebeing provided with a s1ot, a fingerrsecurediito said iboIt'and-fslidably extending throughr.said =lastinamedlslotpa .cap mounted-on theouter .endif of, said-handle) a collar [mounted on said. bolt, landual coil springv positioned in; said lfirsti handle i and. interposed between said collar andlsaidfc'ap.

VO'L'NEY 'MJCROTHERSL References :Cit edin vthe file. or this: patent UNITEDZ'ST-ATESBPATENTS" Number Name Date" 1,o 2'1, 4e7 Nev May- 28,1912 1,4162649 Kntt'LLn- May 16f-l922 an arm slidably mounted in each 

